It is a part of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, and lies about six kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of Assen.

The village was first mentioned in 1847 as Boven-Smilde (literally: Upper-Smilde), and refers to north-eastern part of the peat excavation of Smilde.

[3] Bovensmilde is a linear settlement which started as a peat excavation village along the Drentsche Hoofdvaart [nl].

[6] On 23 May 1977, four armed Moluccans occupied an elementary school in Bovensmilde and took 105 children and five teachers as hostages.

On 11 June, the five remaining teachers were freed when the school was stormed by a Dutch army tank, and the hostage takers were apprehended.